I wrote this piece eight months ago, well before the events of yesterday in Charlottesville, Virginia. I did update the post and believe my words rang true eight months ago and ring true today.
Countless people are pointing a finger, no not that finger…ok, maybe that finger…. Starting over, countless people are pointing out the racism seemingly enabled by President Donald Trump. Over a thousand documented examples of hate crimes have occurred since his election. Some people seem to believe somehow, this one man is responsible for it all. I also heard a similar argument regarding our previous executive, President Obama. “We are more racist now than ever” resounded through my social media accounts. Remember the old quote, “When you point your finger at someone, three fingers are pointing back at you?” I’m sure you do.
I believe both arguments are misplaced. I don’t know when the concepts of racism, anti-Semitism, bigotry, or any other -ism or -phobia de jure came into being. They may well have been around since a Neanderthal looked at a Cro-Magnon and said, “Hey man you are different.” Yes, Neanderthals had a language and could have said such although I’m sure we would have needed a translator.
I believe our bigotry, anti-Semitism, etc., etc., etc., were just covered up in the same way that a person might add a layer of fresh kitty litter to a soiled cat box. Everything appears well, might even smell well…until your favorite feline steps in and begins to cover up its leavings. The more it tries to cover, the more the unsavory stuff gets uncovered. When Felix gives up, nobody is happy including the cat.
Our racism, bigotry, etc., etc., etc. simply got uncovered. It had been just under the surface waiting to be exposed to the light of day. No amount of legislation or executive action can actually bury it until those three fingers point in some other direction. We must want to change and some of us have tried. The problem is, when the litter box gets uncovered, even those of us who are not overtly racist, anti-Semitic, etc., etc. etc., suddenly feel the need to defend ourselves with statements like “Some of my best friends are (fill in the blank)” or “People just need to let go of (fill in the blank)”
Just because we have a few (fill in the blank) friends doesn’t mean we are not part of the problem, so just quit trying to deflect from the problem and quit pointing fingers at Donald Trump. He is just the enabler. The Alt-Right was there all along, they have simply embraced President Trump. The League of the South or people like them have been there all along and they too have embraced him. Fear bred hatred of people not like us, has been there all along, President Trump’s campaign message just allowed it to uncover the litter box.
Our country has been anti-whatever since before we were a country. Until we actually believe, deep in our hearts, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, all men (women and those unsure) are created equal” it really doesn’t matter who is in the White House. We should worry about the cleanliness of our own litter boxes (hearts) before we point out another needs cleaning.
Blog Picture from ABC News, http://abcnews.go.com/US/unite-rally-virginia-sparks-counterprotests-state-emergency/story?id=49176243
More of Don Miller’s misplaced rantings may be accessed at http://goo.gl/lomuQf
Ravings of a Mad Southerner 
Trump has been in office for 8 months, he is not responsible for what was caused years ago. Obama alone pulled the race card so often (completely forgetting his white half) and took us backwards at least 20 years and that doesn’t even come close to the riots all during JFK, LBJ and every other president’s term. Trump may not be a perfect pres. – but then again – what did we say about Bush? For some reason we tend to blame the current president for everything and anything that is shown by the media.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree that the issues go below the surface. I like the litter box analogy. I am Canadian and we have a Prime Minister who espouses the very Canadian traditions of equality, liberalism and fairness to all. I support him and all of that. However…beneath the surface we have many of the same issues as the US. We do not have the same history of race relations and that helps the litter stay fresher longer. I agree with you that Trump is an enabler and not the creator. I hope there will be calmer times ahead.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for enlightening me. The difference is at least he is trying. Thanks for dropping by
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes Trudeau is trying. He has his detractors but the majority are still behind him. Thanks for your post. It raises important issues that need to be given a hearing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: The fight against anti-Semitism is also a fight for a democratic, value-based Europe | Marcus Ampe's Space
“one in four people believe Jews themselves are to blame for the growing anti-Semitism.” I would say you could exchange Blacks for Jews and racism for anti-Semitism here in the US. Why is it Europeans or those descended from Europeans must have someone to hate?
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Ravings of a Mad Southerner and commented:
Normally I don’t reblog…maybe, but with the recent events if the past two weeks, I find myself reblogging it again.
LikeLike
Yes. Yes. Yes. People are hiding behind Trump because they fear saying whats been in thier hearts from centuries. Thank you for this post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I fear it is in our very fabric.
LikeLike
I’m tired of the left raging with their “racist” this or that and blaming Trump and labeling his supporters as racist too. If you don’t agree with the left’s Hollywood agenda you are a racist according to them. . Identity politics certainly is racist and I blame Hillary Clinton for making it a political art from. She has made it impossible for anyone to identify simply as an American.She has created what the pundits now call the “otherization” of people. I don’t walk around thinking “I am a white male, straight, Presbyterian, republican, college educated Italian American. I’m just me: Carl. I try to see see others simply as people without the qualifying name tags they choose to wear or that others have assigned to them.
LikeLike
Left-leaning Scot-Irish independent here. I am from the deep South. I understand everyone is not a racist and all motivations are not racist. Unfortunately, I see it daily without looking for it.
LikeLike
We founded the country to even out the difference in population between slave and free states. T**** was not the cause. T**** is the RESULT. We started off semi-derailed and we never did get the train entirely back on the tracks. I’m beginning to think we need a major rewrite of our constitution.
LikeLiked by 1 person